How’s that for an unclear, oblique title? Let me elucidate. I awoke this morning in a real “tizzy,” as old-timers used to say. I was “hopping” mad and at the end of my “tether” (why am I using all of these antiquated “Americanisms?”) I’d had it with these Americans and their debt-crisis bull; with the Afghanistan/Pakistan mess; the demonstrations in Israel; the endless starvation and rebel nonsense in Somalia; the Greek debt, the Arab spring and on and on and on! I was pissed with the country, the world and the seemingly stupid, selfish, childish, racist, violent, greedy, un-God/Allah-like humans who inhabit it. I was ready to declare myself dictator of the world so that we could finally get it straight!

Well, I do thank Whatever it is that saves me from myself time and time again, for instead of sitting down at my computer and firing off an angry “blog,” I decided to return to a book I’ve been—not just reading—but studying for the past month or so: The Rays and The Initiations by Alice A. Bailey. My anger has subsided and I now feel moved to share the following passage with you.

“The conflict in the United States is between a love of freedom which amounts almost to irresponsibility and license, and a growing humanitarian ideology which will result in world service and non-separateness. The rays of energy governing the United States are the 6th Ray of Idealism, which is the energy of the country’s personality and the 2nd Ray of Love-Wisdom, which governs the soul of the country. …an idealism which requires transmuting and changing from idealism intensely preoccupied with the preservation of a high standard of living and physical comfort to an idealistic appreciation of the real spiritual values; these are at present veiled and hidden in the material philosophy of the country. The youthful interpretation of this idealism can be seen in the complete conviction of the American people that everything in the United States is better than anything anywhere else, in its willingness to tell all the world what should or should not be done, in its revolt from all controls, in its unthinking acceptance of any information which falls in with its preconceived ideas and prejudices; the mature aspect of American idealism leads its people to a prompt response to the good, the beautiful and the true, to the expression of an active humanitarianism and an invocative spiritual approach to reality.

“…It is the idealistic tendency in conflict with pronounced materialistic trends…which will finally evoke the harmony which will liberate the spirit of America, which will reveal to its people that it is one world and which will enable the people of this land to
harmonize with the rest of the world and draw forth the loving response of other nations. It is for this that the men (and women) of good will must work.” (Parenthesis: mine)

The language may be old and stilted but I do hope you get from it what I did. I am now at peace about my country and the world. I have a deeper understanding and a broader perspective as regards the conflict I see all around me. The planet and its inhabitants are in a state of divine tension from which follows renunciation of and liberation from: the old, no-longer-working-ways-of-being. So instead of sending a message of anger and impatience out into cyberspace, I send my love and understanding, along with the prayer that I may find my unique
role in bringing about peaceful solutions and a sense of our Oneness with each other and with The Great Mystery of this ongoing Creation.